Jelly bean counter wins $25,000

April 11, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) -- There are plenty of bean counters in New York City, but one Manhattan resident is an exceptional bean-guesser. Twenty-six-year-old Jessica Silverman won $25,000 after guessing the exact number of jelly beans in a jar -- 7,954. Silverman, who works for a fashion designer, says she was on her way to meet friends for coffee Tuesday when she saw a booth set at the Hilton New York Hotel. The person manning the booth for insurer DeWitt Stern persuaded her to take a guess. Silverman says she'll use her winnings to put a down payment on a new home.